No strings attached
by Lyrita Teroda
Summary: Tala wants Kais girl for all the right reason. Kai wants the girl for all the wrong reasons. Can she choose? Oneshot songfic. Kaioc at first, then Talaoc at the end.


**"No Strings Attached"**

The screams of joy in the auditorium almost shook the rafters. Once again, Tala Valkov was performing like he normally did. Flawlessly. Walborg cut through the blades like a hot knife through butter, demolishing all in its path. Its red headed master merely watched with emotionless eyes, felt the thousands of eyes on his back and relished in the feeling of power it gave him. But there was one set of eye's he would have killed to have watching him

_Baby you're not the only one...  
Oh oh oh yeah  
Hey yeah  
_

Eva stared dully at the dish, catching her blade as it was sent flying back to her hand. Oh well, it wasn't like she was expecting to win. She never won anymore. Much to the consternation of her boyfriend. If you could call him that. The relentless training he put her through, the shouts and threats when she wasn't good enough, his use of her body at night after another failed match.

Yes, Kai Hiwatari was indeed a cruel master. Her arms, covered by her black sweater, held vicious finger marks and cuts; her black jeans encased her bruised and tired legs. She had been awake for so long that now she just felt numb. As if she didn't care what happened to her anymore. And to be frank, she didn't. Her emerald green eyes were glazed over, her blood red hair, once curly and thick, now lay flat and straight. The hairstyle imposed by Kai after she lost her battle against Tyson. She didn't even have a bit beast and yet he pushed her to fight.

_  
I see the things he does to you  
All the pain that he puts you through  
And I see what's really going on  
Staying out at night while you're by the phone  
_

Tala looked up at the woman who held his heart and wouldn't let go, noticing, not for the first time, the darkness of her eyes. So, she had had to stay up last night, practice by the phone until he finally rang her to say she could sleep. She knew what he did every night, knew who he did it with as Mariah's perfume was particularly strong, but she was too broken to care. He missed the girl she had been before Kai, his ex best friend, had gotten his claws into her. Shredded her personality to the point where he barely recognized her.

_Take it from me  
It's a lesson to be learned  
Even the good guys get burned  
Take it from me  
See I would give you love  
The kind of love that you've only dreamed of_

He caught his own blade, wanting to run after her as she left the stage that held the dish, but he was stopped by the referee, shouting his victory over the five rookies. That and Kai was there, glaring at him as if to dare him to follow. As if to dare him to take his possession away. But Tala couldn't do that, had sworn to leave them alone unless she came to him first. It was a promise the both of them held in high regard. A promise that had been made when Eva and Kai's relationship had been new. Sighing, he tried his best to look happy as he accepted his victory, but his eye's remained on Eva's slumped shoulders, jealousy running through his veins as he saw Kai's arm around her waist, the tension in the arm showing how tight it was.

_Baby you're not the only one  
You don't have to be afraid to fall in love  
And I know that you've hurt in the past  
But if you want it, here's my heart  
No strings attached  
_

Days later, in a café, Tala waited patiently for Eva to arrive. It was a fairly non-descript one, far from Kai's usual stomping ground. The only place Eva dared to meet him. Her sanctuary against the fear she felt with Kai around. He hated seeing her so slumped over, but these chats always helped her. Her shoulders always became straighter when she left. He liked to think his offer of comfort helped ease the tension around her heart. Hoped that one day she would accept the offer of his heart. Accept what he could give her. No strings attached.

_He doesn't give you the kind of attention  
That a girl like you needs (that a girl like you needs)  
Cause he always looks around  
His eyes wander 'round  
He doesn't see you like I see  
_

The rumors were going around. Kai had done it again. Another girl making a claim on him. Saying that she had spent the night at the apartment Kai and Eva shared. That Eva knew, had been sent out to the nearby warehouse to practice while Kai unwound. Tala was already on the way over there. She had been training all night, they said, hadn't left the warehouse. And the sounds had stopped about an hour ago. Something was wrong.

_Take it from me  
It's a lesson to be learned  
Even the good guys get burned  
Take it from me  
Baby I would give you love  
The kind of love that you've only dreamed of yeah_

He was right. His heart stopped at the sight of her lying on the ground, her usual black jeans and sweater ripped and torn, her eyes shut with exhausted sleep. He ran up to her, cradled her head in his lap and stroked her hair. Forgetting the blood red blade next to her hand, the matching launcher falling to the ground with a clatter.

"Why Eva? " He asked, on a shuddering sob, tears' leaking from his eye's to fall on her tanned face slightly pale from exhaustion.

"Because of you, Tala." Came the cold voice from the shadows. Kai stepped into the dim light streaming in through the cracked windows, the street light outside making his face orange.

"What the fuck do you mean by that, Kai, I never went near her? Never fucking touched her and yet you subject her to this every night? Hit her, grab her, and practically parade your whores under her nose. What kind of love is that?" Tala was furious, holding his true anger in as he fought not to strangle him

_Baby you're not the only one (baby you're not the only one)  
you don't have to be afraid to fall in love (to fall in love)  
And I know that you've hurt in the past (hurt in the past)  
But if you want it, here's my heart (here's my heart)  
No strings attached_

"She never loved me Tala. Not once." Kai began, his eyes hard on the face of the woman who lay almost lifeless in the arms of another man. "She chose me because she wanted to be stronger, to show you how strong she was. She never felt worthy of you. But I did love her. I always loved her. So when loving her didn't work I tried force, pushed her farther than I knew she could go. Thinking that she would turn to me for comfort when she wasn't strong enough. Choose me willingly. But it seems that didn't work either. I just pushed her further towards you."

The slight stirring in Tala's arms made both of the boys look down, one worried, one relieved. Kai started walking forward, his face getting harsher with each step. Eva clutched at Tala, fear in her luminous green eyes.

_Take it from me_

_It's a lesson to be learned  
Even the good guys get burned_

"Time to choose, Eva." Kai said gently, making the sleepy red heads eyes widen in surprise. "It's me or Tala. I can change, I can make you stronger. I can make your wildest dream come true." Tears threatened in Kai's eyes, but he blinked them away as he stared resolutely at those green orbs. "I know I made mistakes, but they can be corrected. You know they can."

_Take it from me  
See I would give you love  
The kind of love that you've only dreamed of  
So if you want to take a chance with me (ah-ah-ah-ah-ah)_

"Eva, please don't. He's hurt you so much; don't let him hurt you again." Tala held her closer; giving her the comfort she missed and needed so dearly. "He reeks of perfume and sex; those are his fingerprints on your arms. I can't stand back ad watch you waste away anymore. I just can't."

_If you (baby) take a chance with me  
I'll be everything you need (everything you need)  
because it's our destiny  
_  
Eva just looked between the two, standing up carefully after gently nudging Tala aside. She stood tall. Surveying the two men with glazed eyes. Finally they settled on Kai with unwavering confidence and determination.

"I choose Tala. I'm strong enough now. Have been since the day I met him. You know this." She began; emotionless eyes turning loving as she switched her gaze to the redhead. "If you'll take second hand goods, mishandled and broken, then I will gladly be with you. If that's ok?"

Tala could only nod, smiling as Eva flung her arms around his neck in joy.

_  
Baby you're not the only one (baby you're not the only one)  
You don't have to be afraid to fall in love (to fall in love)  
And I know that you've hurt in the past (know that you're hurting)  
But if you want it, here's my heart (if you want here's my heart)  
No strings attached_

Hand in hand they left, Eva's laughter a breath of fresh air on the wind, just adding to the rage and helplessness in Kai's heart. He would get her back.

He swore it.

--

Hello again. Another one shot. This time the song is by Nsync. No strings attached is such a cool song. Pity they don't get back together. Read and review please. I might even make a Kai oneshot. Ya neva know, I might.


End file.
